HealthDay News - Researchers Find Another Way Zika Can Harm Babies

TUESDAY, Aug. 30, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- In yet another
example of the damage that maternal Zika infection can inflict on a
fetus during the early months of pregnancy, a new report suggests
that close to 6 percent of these babies may also experience hearing
loss.

The most common and devastating birth defect seen so far has
been microcephaly, a condition where the head and brain are
abnormally small. Vision problems and malformed joints have also
been documented recently.

But researchers in Brazil wanted to track the prevalence of
hearing loss among newborns with Zika-related microcephaly.

"Other congenital infections can cause hearing loss, which is diagnosed at birth or during later follow-up; however, few data exist regarding hearing loss associated with confirmed congenital Zika virus infection," the researchers said in their report.

In the analysis, Mariana Leal, of the Hospital Agamenon
Magalhaes and the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil, and
colleagues looked at 70 infants in Brazil who had been diagnosed
with Zika-linked microcephaly. Subsequent hearing tests confirmed
that almost 6 percent had hearing loss.

"Congenital infection with Zika virus should be considered a risk factor for hearing loss," the researchers concluded.

"Children with evidence of congenital Zika virus infection who have normal initial screening tests should receive regular follow-up, because onset of hearing loss associated with other congenital viral infections can be delayed and the loss can be progressive," the study authors added.

The findings were published Aug. 30 in the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention's
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Hearing loss isn't the only worrisome news to surface recently
about Zika's effect on infants: A case study suggested the virus
can live and cause damage in newborns for at least two months after
birth.

That report, published online Aug. 24 in the
New England Journal of Medicine, involved a baby boy born in
January to a woman in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Zika is typically
transmitted via mosquito bites, but sexual transmission can also
occur.

The mother developed symptoms of Zika illness -- rash, fever,
headache, swollen joints -- in week 26 of her pregnancy. The
doctors suspect she got the infection through sexual contact with
the baby's father, who had traveled recently to a Zika-endemic
region.

The baby appeared normal and healthy at birth, with a typical
head circumference, according to a team led by Danielle Oliveira of
the University of Sao Paulo.

However, closer investigation of the newborn by MRI brain scans
revealed troubling neurological abnormalities, the group said.

The baby also continued to show signs of Zika virus persisting
in his blood, urine and saliva by day 54 after birth, and in his
blood by day 67.

A follow-up blood test by the time the baby was almost 8 months
old showed no trace of Zika, however.

But, at 6 months of age "he showed neuropsychomotor
developmental delay," including muscle rigidity and spasticity, the
study team said.

The biggest surprise was that the baby's problems "got worse
over time" -- probably because the virus survived a full two months
in the infant, the scientists said in a university news
release.

That news came just a day after radiologists in Boston and
Brazil published scans showing the wide range of birth defects that
can occur in babies affected by the Zika virus.

"From an imaging standpoint, the abnormalities in the brain are very severe when compared to other congenital infections," report co-author Dr. Deborah Levine said in a news release from the journal Radiology, which published the findings Aug. 23.

In that study, the researchers examined medical scans and
autopsy results from 17 fetuses and newborns in Brazil confirmed to
have Zika infection and 28 fetuses and newborns suspected to have
Zika infection.

And on Aug. 9, researchers in Brazil also reported on Zika's
possible links to serious deformities of joints in the arms and
legs of newborns, a condition called arthrogryposis.

Brazil is the country hit hardest by Zika, with thousands of
cases of microcephaly reported so far.

However, the danger of mosquito-borne Zika infection for
pregnant American women became more imminent this month, with two
neighborhoods in the Miami area reporting cases of locally acquired
infection. The CDC is now advising that pregnant women avoid
traveling to these areas of Miami to reduce their risk of
contracting Zika.

The CDC also is advising pregnant women not to travel to an area
where active Zika transmission is ongoing, and to use insect
repellent and wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts if they are
in those areas. Partners of pregnant women are advised to use a
condom to guard against sexual transmission during pregnancy.

The vast majority of Zika infections have occurred in Central
and South America and the Caribbean.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.